St. Bosa of York, Bishop

9 March

Died 686. Saint Bosa was a monk at Whitby, England, under
Saint Hilda (f.d. November 17).
In 678, he was consecrated
bishop of Deira (the southern half of Northumbria, now Yorkshire) by
Saint Theodore (f.d. September 19),
with his see at York, when
Saint Wilfrid (f.d. October 12)
was driven out by King Egfrid for refusing to
accept the division of his see. Wilfrid returned in 686, but Bosa took
over the diocese in 691 when Wilfrid was again exiled following a
quarrel with King Aldfrid; Bosa ruled it with great holiness and ability
until his death. Saint Bede praises Bosa as "a man beloved by God . . .
of most unusual merit and sanctity." One of his disciples was
Saint Acca (f.d. October 20),
who later followed and succeeded Wilfrid at
Hexham
(Benedictines,
Delaney,
Encyclopaedia,
Farmer).